A team of scholars and award-winning directors got together to develop probably one of the most important documentaries of the decade. Though most Americans have no knowledge of it.

The film Invisible Warriors: African American Women in World War II is a documentary about the 600,000 African American women that were recruited and enlisted for war production, government offices, and the U.S. military, for the very first time in American history. These women were "Rosie The Riveters". However, history has done very little to acknowledge their efforts.

The documentary discloses personal interviews with women who lived nearly a century and survived to reveal their accounts of progress and discountenance throughout the World War II era. Interviewees include the late Dr. Dorothy Height, a civil and women's rights activist, president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), to women warriors serving in the military and other positions that were revolutionary to women. World War II made it possible for women to openly take on professional trades for the very first time in history. There was a sense of pride. On the downside, there was a considerable amount of prejudice. Thus, African American women showed they that were equal to men and of whites in intelligence and capability, contrary to popular beliefs. Even though African American women were unaware of the magnitude of their stride, they gladly traded in domestic service roles that simply paid $5 a week to obtain skilled positions that amounted to $50 dollars per week. This was a huge deal for Black women, especially since many had been poor and reduced to the lowest type of labor.

Historian and educator Gregory S. Cooke is the producer for the film. His mother, Ethel Rebecca Jones was an inspiration for the project. In 1943, at the age of 18, she obtained a job in Washington, D.C. as a clerk typist at the U.S. Patents office, a job which was formerly held by white men. Though his mother never talked about those early years, not even the mephitis of segregation, he was able to capture a part of her story through the many women being interviewed. Cooke felt that these women were deserving of recognition, equal to the rest of the women that contributed to the era. He also noted that Anne Currie, a Correspondent, and Anchor for NBC had recently done a television special to honor "Rosie the Riveters", women workers throughout World War II. Fifty women were present. None of them were African American. If it wasn't for women, the nation would not have had its success. Both black and white women have been greatly discounted for their efforts. Yet, the contributions of Black women have been obscured from that era.

Although African American women were able to move into unconventional roles, their opportunities were limited. Promotions were reserved only for white women. Racism was firmly affixed to almost every opportunity, including military enrollment. On some levels, the momentum was positive for these Black Riveters, but the obstacles proved to be daunting and fixed. Yet, these women were stalwart in their efforts to grab new opportunities for employment. After all, the war was personal. Their brothers and fathers were serving in the military. Their family members were called to service and they were patriots.

As the war ended, many African American women returned to their former roles. Some got married like Cooke's mother. Yet their perception of being black and being a woman had changed. Cooke noted that WWII may have been one of the best things that happened to African Americans, throughout the 20th century. African Americans were irrevocably employed in some industries. This brought fruition to their working roles and a developing mindset. Black women discovered that "they could do it!", just like anyone else.

Furthermore, inequality persists well throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Though women make up over 50% of the population, they still lag in numbers in places of significance and on average they’re paid 20% less than men. For women of color, the numbers are far worse, making this film necessary to produce.

Yet, regardless of the major-league quality and press appearances, donations for the film are incredibly slim. Therefore, the budget has been cut in half. The filmmaker feels Americans express very little interest in projects such as these which is why the film project's website expresses a plea for support. "While we want everyone, who has familial or personal connections to World War II to help us complete Invisible Warriors, we especially appeal to African American women to get involved...All women, but especially Black women who enjoy success in America today, stand on their shoulders. Warriors opened doors for you — educationally and professionally..."

After polling our audience in 2013, Women For Action learned that the vast majority of women of color were unaware of this part of history. With that in mind, the Invisible Warriors Film project plans to donate itself to educational, cultural, and civic organizations. It’s a win-win for children, especially African American girls who are mentally downloading hyper-sexual versions of themselves throughout all forms of media. In projects such as Invisible Warriors, girls can envision healthier images as they look back on the earnest achievements of their great grandmothers.

The Invisible Warriors Film is in post-production and plans to release in the near future.

Gregory S. Cooke is also the Associate Director for the previous documentary, "Choc ’late Soldiers from the USA", a documentary about African American soldiers throughout WWII. He teaches at Drexel University and The Community College of Philadelphia.Revised 2/2/2018

Ads

Our Mission

Women For Action tells stories about the under-recognized efforts of women-firsts, award winning subjects and other women of significance. We search for innovators with a vision and tell their stories. We champion their efforts to create a discussion and initiate a wave of action across the globe.